Compressible fluid control means for toilet flush tanks



June 9, 1953 COMPRESSIBLE F. E. WlLT Filed Oct. 50, 1950' I FIG.

FLUID CONTROL MEANS FOR TOILET FLUSH TANKS FIG. 2

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Patented June 9, 1953 GOMPRESSIBLE FLUID ,GDN'IBOI; MEANS FOR TOILET FLUSH TANKS Frank E. Wilt, San Diego, Galif.

Application October 30, 1l l5(l,:Serial l Io; -192,862

. 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a compressible fluid control means for toilet flush tanks, and the objects of myinvention are:

First, to provide a means of this class wherein a siphoncontrol, mechanism controls the flushing ofwater from a toilet flush tank, whereby valves and other wearing parts are eliminated;

Second, to provide a means of this class in which an auxiliary air chamber continually maintains an air supply for the air lock of the siphon. in connection therewith, which insures proper functioning of the siphon when operated and prevents the air from escaping from said air lock during flushing operations of a conventional .fiush tank in which said siphon is installed;

. Third, to provide a compressible fluid control means for toilet flush tanks wherein an auxiliary air chamber is vertically movable within the tank and below the normal water level of the tank providing for a pressure change in the airlock for starting the siphon when the auxiliary chamber is raised near to the upper level or the water in the tank;

"Fourth,'togprovide a compressible fiuid control means for flush tanks having a siphon flush ing tube therein, provided with an adjustable siphon vent tube communicating with the interior thereot'adapted to break the siphon within'the siphon tube at the proper level within a toilet'flush tank and prevent the water level from reaching the inlet level of the siphon, whereby quietoperation of the siphon is insured as it "finishes; draining the water from the flushtank to the desired level; and also controls the amount :of water which reaches the toilet bowl for afteriflll, and the amount of water which returnsto costs are reduced to a minimum and which saves considerable water; and

Seventh, to provide a-compressible fluid control means for toilet flush tanks of thisclass which is very simple and economical of construction, efiicient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these andother objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly setforth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the-characters of reference thereon, forming a parrot this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view: army compressible fluid control meansfor toilet flush. tanks, shown positioned. in a tank ofv conventional, proportions; Fig. 2. is a front ,elevational view thereof, showinguportions of thetank and the flushing means broken awayand in section to amplify theillustration; andFig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken fromtheline. 3-.-3 or Fig... 2.

Similar. characters, of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of thedrawings.

The tank |,.float 2;.fioat valve 3, levers 4 and 5', link amovable air chamber l, guide .rodB'. siphon tube 9, siphon vent. tube ill, bafiles l l and 12, chain I3, and the bracket l4, constituteithe principal parts and portions of my compressible fluid control. means for toilet flush tanks.

The tank I is a hollow, substantially rectangula-r tank of substantially conventional proportions. This tank I is provided with an outlet tube in cast in the bottom of the tank, as shown in Fig. 2' of the drawings. This outlet tube I a is adapted to be connectedwith aconventional toilet bowl. in the conventional manner. The siphon tube ll extends upwardly into the tank nearer toflthewuppermost water level A, as shownby dash lines. in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, and this tube 9. extends downwardly in angular relation ship laterally. of its vertically extending portion, and is open at its intake end So, which is slightly spaced from the bottom Ic of the tank I. The baflie II is an angularly disposed inverted. vshaped in cross-section structure, as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, and extends continuously from the inner side he to the inner side I fof the tank I, and it is sealed along said inner sides le and If by fusion, or the baflie Il may be cast therein, as desired.

This bafiie II is provided with an opening lid in which the downwardly extending open end portion 9a of, the siphontube 9 is sealed. It will benoted that this bafile H isprovided with anupwardly inclined portion lib, which extends along the lower side of the upwardly extending portion of the siphon tube 9, and is also provided with a downwardly extendingportion llc, having alower edge 1 id, which terminates in slight spacedrelationship from the bottom lc of the tank I near to the same level as .the open ends to of the siphon tube 9. Thebafile l2. as shown in-Fig. 2 of the drawings, extends from the inner side lb totheinnerside if of the, tank I,

and is sealedalong the walls ormay be cast therein, asdesired,,and thisbafile I2 is sealed in fluid-tight relationship with the bottom lcof the tank l, and extends.upwardly. to itsupper The siphon vent tube I communicates with the uppermost portion of the siphon tube 9 and extends downwardly to a position at its lower end lOa, which is slightly above the lower end 9a of the siphon tube 9. The movable air chamber I is provided with a bell-shaped hollow head portion 1a, which communicates with a hollow tubular flexible air conductor lb connected to the baffie II at its uppermost portion above the edge I2a of the baffle I2, providing an air passage intercommunicating with the bell-shaped head Ia of of the movable air chamber I, and the upper interior of the air lock chamber within the battle I I.

The movable air chamber I is provided with an open downwardly converging skirt portion 'Ic having a guide member Id fixed therein, and extending diametrically thereof through which the guide rod 8 extends. Thus, the movable air chamber I is vertically slidably mounted on the guide rod 8 which is fixed at its lower end to the bracket I4, held in place near the lower portion Ic of the tank I, by means of the jamb nuts 3a on the water inlet tube 31), communicating with the conventional valve 3 which is controlled by the float 2 normally positioned at the location shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, near the water level A. The movable air chamber "I is connected to the lever 5 by means of the chain I3. The lever 5 is pivotally mounted on a pin 5a in the side wall I f of the tank I, and the link 6 pivotally interconnects the lever 5 with the outer side of the wall If of the tank I.

It will be noted that the upper chamber portion He, formed by the baffle H, provides a compressed airlock chamber, which tends to maintain the water levels substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The operation of my compressible fluid control means for flush tanks is substantially as follows:

The movable air chamber 3, at its head portion la, is provided with compressed air therein, which is compressed in accordance with the column of water thereabove, and through the con nector 'Ib this compressed air communicates with the interior of the airlock compression chamber He, at its uppermost portion. When the lever handle l is pivoted about the axis of the shaft 417, the lever 4a moves the link 5, together with the lever 5, upwardly, causing the chain to raise the movable air chamber I along the guide rod 8. As the head portion Id of the movable air chamber 7 passes upwardly in the water toward the level A, the pressure in the head portion Ta of the movable air chamber I decreases, causing a corresponding decrease in the pressure in the compressed air lock chamber He. Decrease in the pressure within the movable air chamber I is caused by decrease in the head of water thereabove when the movable air chamber I is raised toward the upper level A, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

When the air pressure is thus lowered within the movable air chamber I and the compressed air lock chamber He, the water at the level B, acted upon by the head of the water thereabove through said chamber He, passes upwardly in the siphon tube 9 and downwardly through the outlet tube Ia. Concurrently, water passes beneath the lower edge lid of the battle I I, and over the upper edge I2 of the baffle I2 to-the open lower end 9a of the siphon tube 9. When the water reaches the lower end of the siphon vent tube ID, the siphon in the siphon tube 9 is broken, which occurs before the water passes downwardly to a position coinciding with the end 9a of the siphon tube 9, preventing suction noise and the exhaustion of the water seal at the open end 9a of the siphon tube 9.

It will be noted that the movable air chamber I is balanced suificiently heavy to gravitate to the bottom of the tank I, after water in the tank flushes down a few inches, and remain there during flushing and the time the water builds up to the level A and the control of the float 2. During the time the water is filling the tank I by means of the conventional valve 3, operated by the float 2, water rising upwardly in the battle II causes compression of air in the air chamber portion He, and correspondingly causes a raise of air pressure within the movable air chamber I. When the pressure rises to a predetermined value, the level of the water at the dash line B is established, and the tank is again ready for flushing.

It will be here noted that the siphon breaking action of the tube I5 connected to the chamber He has substantially the same effect as the tube Ill.

The lower open end of the movable air chamber I permits water to rise therein to a predetermined level until certain compression of air therein establishes the level at substantially the upper edge IZa of the baflle I2, all as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The conductor 1b is preferably made of rubber, or any other suitable material which is flexible, so that raising and lowering of the movable chamber I is readily accommodated without causing any loosening of the connections, or leakage between the movable air chamber 1 and the air compression chamber He.

It will be noted that when the tank I is flushed by raising the movable air chamber 1, the supply of air for the air compression chamber He passes into the movable air chamber I, and does not become exhausted from the system by flow of water through the air compression chamber I I e over the upper edge In of the baffle I2. The volumetric displacement of air from the compression chamber He substantially fills the movable air chamber 1 down to its open skirt, and when the movable air chamber 1 is in its uppermost position it is lowered into the lower portion of the tank I, by water pulled thereinto by vacuum caused by siphonic action within the tube 9. Thus, the air is caused to pass back into the air compression chamber He, so that exhaustion of the air from communicative relationship with the air compression chamber He is impossible, regardless of the operation of the lever handle 4.

It will be here noted that the siphon tube 9 provides an overflow for the tank I in the event the float valve 3 becomes inoperative.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

I-laving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tank, an outlet for said tank, a siphon 1 extending upwardly into said tank from said outlet and communicating therewith th opposite end of said siphon tube being slightly spaced from the lower interior of said tank, air and water conductor means communicating with said opposite end of said siphon tube having an air compression chamber at the uppermost por tion thereof above the lower end of said siphon tube spaced from the bottom of said tank, the opposite end of said air and water conducting passage means communicating with the interior of said tank near the lower portion thereof, a vertically movable air chamber in said tank open at its bottom portion and communicating with the interior of said air compression chamber at its upper portion, means for admitting Water into said tank and maintaining the same at a predetermined level preliminary to flushing, a

siphon vent tube communicating with the interior of said siphon tube near its uppermost portion and extending downwardly into spaced relationship with the bottom of said tank slightly above the terminus of said opposite end of said siphon tube.

2. In a device of the class described, a tank adapted to contain liquid therein, an outlet at the bottom portion of said tank, a siphon tube communicating with said outlet and extending upwardly in said tank and provided with a downwardly extending end internally of said tank slightly spaced from the bottom thereof, passage means defining the passage in said tank extending upwardly from said downwardly extending end of said siphon tube, a compression chamber near the upper end of said passage means, a second passage means extending downwardly from said compression chamber to a location near the bottom of said tank at the interior thereof, a vertically movable air chamber in said tank communicating with said compression chamber and having flexible means for conducting air intermediate said compression chamber and said movable air chamber.

3. In a device of the class described, a tank adapted to contain liquid therein, an outlet at the bottom portion of said tank, a siphon tube communicating with said outlet and extending upwardly in said tank and provided with a downwardly extending end internally of said tank slightly spaced from the bottom thereof, passage means defining the passage in said tank extending upwardly from said downwardly extending end of said siphon tube, a compression chamber near the upper end of said passage means, a second passage means extending downwardly from said compression chamber to a location near the bottom of said tank at the interior thereof, a vertically movable air chamber in said tank communicating with said compression chamber and. having flexible means for conducting air intermediate said compression chamber and said movable air chamber, said movable air chamber open at its lower end and adapted to gravitate downwardly in said tank below the level of water therein, external means on said tank for raising said movable air chamber toward the upper surface of water therein.

4. In a device of the class described, a tank adapted to contain liquid therein, an outlet at the bottom portion of said tank, a siphon tube communicating with said outlet and extending upwardly in said tank and provided with a downwardly extending end internally of said tank slightly spaced from the bottom thereof, passage means defining the passage in said tank extending upwardly from said downwardly extending end of said siphon tube, a compression chamber near the upper end of said passage means, a second passage means extending downwardly from said compression chamber to a location near the bottom of said tank at the interior thereof, a vertically movable air chamber in said tank communicating with said compression chamber and having flexible means for conducting air intermediate said compression chamber and said movable air chamber, said movable air chamber open at its lower end and adapted to gravitate downwardly in said tank below the level of water therein, external means on said tank for raising said movable chamber toward the upper surface of water therein, means for admitting water into said tank and means for controlling the level of water therein,

5. In a device of the class described, a tank adapted to contain liquid therein, an outlet at the bottom portion of said tank, a siphon tube communicating with said outlet and extending upwardly in said tank and provided with a downwardly extending end internally of said tank slightly spaced from the bottom thereof, passage means defining the passage in said tank extending upwardly from said downwardly extending end of said siphon tube, a compression chamber near the upper end of said passage means, a second passage means extending downwardly from said compression chamber to a location near the bottom of said tank at the interior thereof, a vertically movable air chamber in said tank communicating with said compression chamber and having flexible means for conducting air intermediate said compression chamber and said movable air chamber, said movable air chamber open at its lower end and adapted to gravitate downwardly in said tank below the level of water therein, external means on said tank for raising said movable chamber toward the upper surface of water therein, means for admitting water into said tank and means for controlling the level of water therein, a siphon vent tube communieating with said siphon tube at the interior thereof near the upper portion thereof and extending downwardly into spaced relationship with the bottom of said tank slightly above said lower end of said siphon tube.

6. In a device of the class described, a tank adapted to contain liquid therein, an outlet at the bottom portion of said tank, an air lock compression chamber providing a passage for water to said outlet and adapted to interrupt the flow of water therethrough when compression rises to a certain value therein, and a movable air chamber vertically movable in said tank, having flexible conductor means communicating with said air lock compression chamber, whereby elevation of said movable air chamber lowers the pressure therein and in said air lock compression chamber, permitting the flow of water therethrough to the outlet of said tank.

FRANK E. WILT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 442,564 Whiteford Dec. 9, 1890 762,444 Smith June 14, 1904 812,992 Grifliths Feb. 20, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,031 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1886 

